| 06 September, 2010 | Last updated 2 days 15 hours 6 minutes ago |
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Having Trouble Logging In?Canadian Communications ReportsArpin wanted to stay, 'but the wise men decided differently,' he saysTwo days after leaving his position as vice-chair of broadcasting at the CRTC, Michel Arpin sat down with me for an exclusive interview in his new office at Université de Montréal, where this week he officially took on a position as visiting professor in the communications studies department. For more than two hours, we discussed his departure from the CRTC, Quebecor Inc.’s Sun TV News application, and the transition to digital over-the-air broadcasting. The following excerpt has been edited for length and style. Friends raise unlikely prospect of increasing public funding for CBC September 3, 2010 - 2:28pm — Jonathan Migneault
The politically sensitive topic of the CBC’s public funding is again coming into question. In a pre-budget consultation submission to the House Standing Committee on Finance, broadcasting watchdog Friends of Canadian Broadcasting says the federal government should increase the CBC’s per-capita public funding to $40 per year. The group is rehashing a recommendation that the House Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage made in 2008 to increase the per-capita public funding grant to the CBC from $34 to $40 per year. Quebecor not giving up on application for must-carry Sun TV News September 1, 2010 - 5:43pm — Jonathan Migneault
The CRTC has opened a consultation on a new Quebecor Media Inc. application for a broadcasting licence for an all-news channel called Sun TV News—but the application still contains a request for must-carry status. On Wednesday the CRTC issued a notice of consultation to consider Quebecor’s application, which includes a request for a three-year must-carry guarantee with cable and satellite providers. In correspondence with CRTC staff last month, Quebecor had asked for limited-term, three-year Category 1 status (or Category A)—which guarantees that all cable and satellite distribution systems carry the channel—for a right-leaning news service informally dubbed “Fox News North.” Pelmorex calls for industry-wide regulations on market power of integrated companies September 1, 2010 - 5:12pm — Simon Doyle
The Weather Network owner Pelmorex Communications Inc. is calling on the CRTC to implement a series of new industry-wide policies to “safeguard” against excessive market power from vertically integrated communications companies that have more than a 25 per cent audience share. “Concentration in the industry, and in particular vertical integration, is going to continue, frankly,” Paul Temple, senior vice-president of regulatory and strategic affairs at Pelmorex, said in an interview. CRTC upholds 'paternalistic' approach to community TV, CACTUS says August 27, 2010 - 3:58pm — Jonathan Migneault
The CRTC upheld a “paternalistic” stance toward the community television sector in its new regulatory policy released Thursday, Catherine Edwards, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), said in an interview. “They [the commission] completely ignored the request by just about every community intervener at the hearing that these channels should finally be in community hands,” Edwards told The Wire Report. During a CRTC hearing to develop a new community television policy last April, CACTUS proposed to establish 250 community-run production facilities across Canada, which would draw on a cable company levy to produce community television and multimedia programming. CMPA raises diversity of voices question on Shaw-Canwest deal August 24, 2010 - 6:49pm — Simon Doyle
The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) is calling on the CRTC to consider diversity of voices policy as it evaluates Shaw Communications Inc.’s application to purchase the broadcasting assets of Canwest Global Communications. The CMPA (formerly the Canadian Film and Television Production Association) wrote in a comment filed with the CRTC Monday that Shaw’s acquisition of the Canwest assets, when combined with the Shaw-controlled broadcasting services of Corus Entertainment, will put the company “very close” the CRTC’s diversity of voices threshold of 35 per cent audience share nationally. “The Commission should carefully examine the transaction with its Diversity of Voices policy in mind, based on the fact that Shaw’s control of audience share would be very close to the 35% level nationally,” the CMPA wrote in a comment filed for the CRTC proceeding. Canwest, Quebecor urge commission for all-or-none regulatory relief August 24, 2010 - 6:39pm — Jonathan Migneault
Canwest Global Communications and Quebecor Media Inc. are arguing that the CRTC should make the same exception for all private broadcasters if it chooses to grant an immediate reduction of the Canadian content requirements for CTVGlobemedia’s conventional stations. Canwest and Quebecor say the commission should grant them the same regulatory flexibility for their conventional television channels—or reject CTV’s application for early regulatory relief. The commission is preparing to implement a new broadcasting framework by the end of August of next year, and broadcasters are expected to submit applications for licence renewals in November or December. A hearing is expected in the spring of 2011. Government offered von Finckenstein plum jobs to push him out: Report August 20, 2010 - 5:58pm — Simon Doyle
The communications industry was buzzing this week following a report that the Conservative government offered CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein positions as an ambassador or judge to encourage him to leave his post early. Lawrence Martin, a columnist for The Globe and Mail, wrote this week that although von Fincksenstein’s appointment as chair of the CRTC does not end until Jan. 24, 2012, the Conservative government and Prime Minister Stephen Harper find him too “independently minded” and are trying to encourage him to leave “well before that date,” replacing him with “a rubber stamper.” In confidential background interviews, The Wire Report canvassed six industry and regulatory insiders for their knowledge about the matter. Independent broadcasters say they can meet the digital transition deadline August 18, 2010 - 6:12pm — Simon Doyle
Independent over-the-air television stations in Victoria, Hamilton and Montreal say they will meet next year’s deadline to convert their transmitters from analogue to digital broadcasting. John Pollard, station manager at independent station CHEK TV in Victoria, B.C., told The Wire Report that the station will probably be broadcasting in digital well before the Aug. 31, 2011 deadline. Pollard said engineers are now working out a plan for the station, which they intend to have in place by the end of the year. Rogers emerges winner in carriage dispute with Torstar, experts say August 18, 2010 - 5:43pm — Jonathan Migneault
Rogers Communications Inc. emerged the winner Wednesday in a CRTC decision that attempted to settle a dispute over the carriage of Torstar Corp.’s ShopTV channel, experts say. “In think Rogers comes out as a winner,” David Elder, an Ottawa-based communications lawyer, said in an interview. He said the CRTC left Rogers off the hook on carriage because it does not necessarily have to distribute the ShopTV channel as an analog service. |
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